'Just Want To Play Freely' - Harleen Deol Readies Herself For Maiden WCPL Stint With Tridents

Just want to play freely - Harleen Deol readies herself for maiden WCPL stint with Tridents (Navi Mumbai: ICC Women’s World Cup Final – India vs South Africa)

Caribbean Premier League: India batter Harleen Deol has joined the Barbados Tridents for the remainder of the Women’s Caribbean Premier League (WCPL), and becomes the fifth Indian cricketer to feature in the ongoing competition. Harleen links up with compatriots Pooja Vastrakar and Kiran Navgire in the Tridents squad for her first stint in a global franchise T20 tournament.

"I'm with the Barbados Tridents and it's only been two days for me. Like, it was very last minute. So, I'm very excited and it's going to feel good to be here. Like, it's been amazing actually, because it's a very different experience and environment here.

“I've just attended one practice session and we went for a team bonding session on a cruise. So, that was a really nice experience," Harleen told IANS in a select virtual interaction organised by FanCode, the official broadcaster of WCPL in India.

Harleen, a member of India’s 2025 ODI World Cup winning team, revealed her late arrival in the Caribbean came after a swift call from the franchise management. "It was a very last minute call. I think Shashank sir, from the management team, approached me and asked, ‘Are you interested in playing WCPL?’

“I was like, ‘Yeah, why not?’ Because obviously, different experiences, different wickets, and different people are here. Franchise cricket is a little different, but it's good for the experience and learning. So, I just said yes, and then I made it here."

Harleen, who last played in a T20I for India in December 2025 against Sri Lanka in Thiruvananthapuram, insisted that she wants to play without extra pressure. "So, what I want is that I should just look to play freely, that's it. I don't think there is much difference here. It's just like, I just want to enjoy cricket, that's it."

"I don't think much about these things. Wherever I am, I'm just playing cricket. So, it's all about playing cricket and enjoying it. I just want to say that, okay, if you're playing anywhere and whatever it is, you're giving your best and that is the only thing which I want to say. I just want to enjoy cricket and don't want to think about all those things."

Ahead of the Tridents' upcoming match against Jamaica Empress, Harleen said potentially playing in the game will give her a better idea of local conditions. "I will get to know only when I have played on the pitches because I haven't played yet. We have a match on Saturday. So, we'll play and see how it goes."

Highlighting the advantages of playing in T20 leagues, based on her experiences in the Women’s Premier League (WPL) and the now-defunct Women’s T20 Challenge at home, Harleen felt that the value of testing oneself outside familiar environments is a key takeaway.

"Obviously, when you play in tournaments like WCPL, you also get the experience of playing with different players. Even if you are a domestic player, you get to learn from them as well. It is not necessary that you play outside or play something else, then you get the experience.

“I feel, when you play in a different team, you get to experience a different challenge because that is outside of your comfort zone. We get to learn these things, but when you play with different people, when you are in a different team or in WBBL, when you are at home, you are an overseas player - that is a different challenge itself.

“So, experiencing those things and playing with different people, seeing different mindsets, there is a lot to learn. Obviously, we are blessed that we got to play in this franchise cricket environment."

On technical adjustments, Harleen believes franchise setups offer a platform for personal expression rather than major overhauls. "I don't think as a player, there are a lot of things that you change in your technique. I would say that you can learn from someone what areas they are playing the ball in or what their mindset is.

“I don't think that you learn about your technique from another player - that is something which is very different. I have not changed too much. It's not that I have not done well in the international T20 circuit. It's just that the combinations which are fitting in (haven’t led to much playing opportunities).

“Obviously, when you play franchise cricket or play in WPL or here, it gives you more opportunities to express yourself. I am really grateful that I have got an opportunity here to play with different people. I will get exposure for everything. So, that is the only thing which I am looking forward to. Nothing else – like I am looking forward to this and that. It's just that I am looking forward to playing cricket simply - that's it."

The jovial Harleen added that staying grounded in her daily routine remains key to dealing with the unpredictable nature of T20 cricket. "While planning all these things, a person gets stuck later on ‘Oh man, this happened, that happened.’ So, I am someone who just wants to enjoy one day at a time.

“Obviously, when you play franchise cricket or play in WPL or here, it gives you more opportunities to express yourself. I am really grateful that I have got an opportunity here to play with different people. I will get exposure for everything. So, that is the only thing which I am looking forward to. Nothing else – like I am looking forward to this and that. It's just that I am looking forward to playing cricket simply - that's it."

“But like in T20 cricket, I am just focusing on my process, not too much on the result because sometimes, if you get too result-oriented, you don't understand things. You forget what your process was. So, for me, I am just focusing on the process and that's it - like not too much into the result-oriented things."

Article Source: IANS